#2: James Blake – Overgrown

I’m not going to lie. James Blake probably deserves the #1 spot on this countdown. His sophomore album, Overgrown, is perfect. It’s filled with more of the same wonderment that brought him a Mercury Prize and critical acclaim a few years back. This time around, however, each song is a little more identifiable and casts a wider net toward the demographic of “people who love smart music.”

Admittedly, James Blake’s disadvantage on this countdown is that this is a sophomore release and the charm of discovery is missing this time around. That doesn’t take away from his genius, but you’ll realize tomorrow, that #1 had to go to someone else – and the discovery element is the culprit at play here.

There is no doubt in my mind that James Blake will continue to single-handedly inspire music creators around the globe. It’s just a matter of how often he wants to produce solid gold and tour the world to support it.